Feu (land tenure) Facts for Kids

Feu was a very common way to own land in Scotland for a long time. It was part of a system called feudalism, which is how land was managed and passed down. The word "feu" comes from the Scots language and is similar to the English word "fee." This old system of land ownership was finally ended in Scotland by a law passed in 2000 called the Abolition of Feudal Tenure etc. (Scotland) Act 2000. England had already stopped similar land ownership rules much earlier, in 1660.

History of Land Ownership

For many years, only people who held land directly from the king or queen (called "vassals of the crown") could vote in parliamentary elections in Scotland. This meant that instead of selling land completely, people often "sub-feued" it, which meant they let someone else use it while still technically owning it themselves.

This changed with the Scottish Reform Act 1832. This law greatly increased the number of men who could vote in Scotland, from about 4,500 to over 64,000!

In the Orkney and Shetland islands, land is still often owned in a special way called udal property. This way of owning land comes from a very old system from when these islands belonged to Norway. In the past, people could choose to change their udal land into "feu" land if they wanted to.

In the past, transferring feu land was quite complicated. It sometimes involved people meeting on the land itself and even doing symbolic actions, like throwing a shoe onto the ground, to show the land was being transferred. Luckily, new laws since the mid-1800s made this process much simpler.

Many attempts were made to change the feu system over the years. Finally, it was completely ended by the Abolition of Feudal Tenure etc. (Scotland) Act 2000.

Under the feu system, people who used the land usually paid a yearly amount of money or goods to the person who owned the land above them. The King or Queen was always at the top of this system. They were the "first overlord" or "superior." People who held land directly from the Crown were called "crown vassals." These crown vassals could then "feu" their land to other people, who would become their vassals. This process could go on and on, with many layers of owners.

Other Ways Land Was Held

Besides "feu," there were a few other ways land was held in Scotland:

Booking was a special way of transferring land only found in the town of Paisley. It was quite similar to feu.
Burgage was the system used for land within special towns called Royal Burghs.
Blench holding meant paying a very small, symbolic amount, like one Scottish penny or a red rose. Often, this payment only had to be made if someone asked for it.
Mortification was a way land was given to churches or charities. This land was held in a special way that meant it couldn't be easily sold or taken away.
Ward was an old system where land was held in exchange for military service. This system was abolished in 1747 after the Jacobite rising of 1745.

Feu (land tenure) facts for kids

History of Land Ownership

Other Ways Land Was Held

See also